Friday, 8 November 2013

My Weird Knee/Leg

Ok, I'm hoping these upload properly. I recently got a new laptop with Windows 8 and I'm still getting the hang of it. (I saved up for ages and needed a new laptop so, to the people who have a problem with what us claimants spend money on, swivel on this!)

Since the end of school, even before I started feeling ill, I've had a weird thing with my knees/knee joints. Nearly every time I kneel down, it feels like it's popped out of place. It happens mainly with my left knee but it sometimes happens with my right. It's VERY PAINFUL. I don't think it's the kneecap that pops out of place, more the actual joint? I'm terrible on knowing proper names of joints etc but I hope you understand where I mean anyway. I don't know whether to call it dislocation or whether it's like a very slight dislocation but, because it's happened more and more over time, I did get a bit worried about it. I can pop it back into place if I move my leg around a bit and/or massage the joint with both hands. It feels like it's completely locked and any attempt to stretch my leg out is extremely painful and impossible to do without manipulating it with my hands.

I've tried explaining this to GPs and a Rheumatologist but they really didn't seem that worried? I have weakness in my legs so the rheumy seems to think I just need to strengthen them a bit. I'm waiting to be put on a Graded Exercise programme, it's just about finding sessions that are at times when I can actually attend. I'm willing to give anything a go really. But I do wonder whether I should get it scanned just to see what on earth is going on!

Ok anyway, today I decided to take a couple of pictures and a video just to show what happens. It really doesn't look that interesting though. You can't see anything pop out of place (unless there's something I just haven't spotted) but in the video it's very clear that I'm in pain and not able to stretch my leg out. It's been about 4 or 5 hours since I made that video and I'm still getting pain in my left knee and it just feels weird! In the picture (after popping it back into place) you can see a bit of redness and it kind of looks like a bruise? I'm hoping this picture comes out clearly. It's annoying that it's not more obvious as I'm worried the doctors just don't believe me because they can't see it for themselves. I will show the video and pic to my GP when I next see her though. I just wanted to know people's thoughts really! Any advice would be brilliant :)

It's a little bit faint (looks darker in real life and there's some redness) but here's the bruise where I feel the most pain.

I may need to edit the post as I'm not sure if the video has uploaded properly. I probably need to compress it or something. But if you can see it, I apologise for the amount of times I cry out in pain. It was very painful! I wish it was more obvious; what's going on. It looks like nothing is happening with the knee, you can just tell that I can't stretch it out. This is why I'm reluctant to call it a dislocation.

Ok, so that's my weird knee! Any advice would be very much appreciated :)

66 views on this post, thank you! :D It's so nice to know that people are actually reading my blog and sharing their views via Facebook or Twitter. Again, if there's any suggestions, please let me know! I've been told that some people are having problems posting comments on my blog posts. No idea what's going on there but I'll have a look or Google or something and see what's going on.

Ok, so I went to see my GP today to explain about my knee/s and show her the video and picture. The bruise and redness is a lot clearer on my phone so she could see straightaway thankfully. Luckily the brainfog wasn't too bad either so I could actually explain properly and didn't need to write it down. She examined my knee (much more thoroughly than the Rheumatologist might I add!) and didn't find anything wrong with it (grrr) so she reckons I don't need a scan. She diagnosed my knee problem as Hypermobility and gave me some strengthening exercises. I did mention EDS and said "it's not that is it?" and she reassured me it wasn't. I'm still learning about the condition but I do know there's a difference between being hypermobile/double jointed and having Ehler Danlos Syndrome. I just wish there was more of an answer. I was hoping this would be something that could be scanned and hopefully fixed. I get a bit fed up of having illnesses/conditions etc that can be 'managed' (using the term very lightly!) but are essentially incurable.

These kinds of things make me worry about the future I guess because I want to know that there's some hope that I will get my symptoms under control enough that they don't severely limit my life. I'm not expecting to go back to that capoeira-ing, cheerleading, clubbing, going on long walks student again (although that would be friggin awesome), just to be well enough to hold down a job without calling in sick every other week, having a bit of a social life, meeting new people, being happy and positive again. Maybe it'll happen sooner than I think? I just wish I knew when. I'm impatient, could you guess? ;)

TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of diet, body image and weight loss

I've also decided I'm going to really try to eat healthily. I'm a real emotional eater. Cheesy pasta, crisps, chocolate, fried chicken, these are the things I crave so much when I'm feeling stressed or upset. I'd like to take control of that. I don't feel better after eating those things really. I enjoy healthy food of course, but I give in to my cravings far too easily. The meds I take have the side effect of making you put on weight and I hate it. People used to always say "Amy, you're so skinny!", not anymore lol! To look at me now I don't think people would say I look overweight. It shouldn't bother me even if they did think that but the point is that I want to take steps to be healthier and feel happy with my body again :)

Ok, I'll leave it there. That was a longer update than I thought it'd be! Thanks again for reading :)